The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has warned that Defra’s proposals to ban carbon dixide stunning of pigs in abattoirs could undermine British food security.
The association warned that Defra is proposing a major change without first establishing whether viable alternatives exist that can deliver better welfare outcomes while maintaining the capacity of Britain’s pig processing industry.
BMPA chief executive John Powell,said: “We fully support improving animal welfare, but Defra should have commissioned the necessary research before launching this consultation. At present, there is no proven, commercially viable alternative to CO₂ that can maintain the throughput required by British pig processors and the supply demanded by British consumers.
He echoed concerns expressed by the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) that this left the UK vulnerable to cheaper imports from the EU, which has indicated it has no plans to ban CO₂.
“Without a viable alternative to CO₂, we risk reducing domestic processing capacity, undermining British pig farming and becoming more reliant on imported pork from countries that continue to use CO₂ as a tried and tested method of stunning. At a time when food security is already under pressure, that would be deeply irresponsible,” he said.
“We are surprised that the Government has launched this consultation now, as we are so close to an SPS agreement with the EU, which will dramatically improve our competitiveness. The EU is not currently proposing a similar ban so, If a ban on CO₂ is introduced in the UK, it will dramatically decrease our competitiveness.”
BMPA also challenges Defra’s suggestion that concerns over the supply of CO₂ justify the proposed three-year phase-out. Despite modest price increases linked to the Iran conflict, supply to the sector has not been disrupted, and CO₂ represents a relatively small proportion of food production costs, it said.
Mr Powell called for a ‘whole-pathway assessment of the welfare, economic and practical consequences before any decisions are made’.
“If research identifies a genuinely better and commercially viable alternative, industry will need a realistic transition period to invest and adapt,” he said.
“Until then, phasing out CO₂ is neither practical nor responsible. We cannot afford to gamble with animal welfare or Britain’s food security.”